Heart Disease Treatment Cost Expected to Triple by 2030

(WomensHealth.gov)

An economic forecast by an American Heart Association (AHA) panel indicates that the cost to treat heart disease in the United States is expected to triple to $818 billion by 2030 from $273 billion in 2010. The findings are contained in a policy statement published in the online issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

AHA says cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for 17 percent of overall national health expenditures. The panel’s analysis covered major cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and related CVD conditions.

The panel estimated future medical costs based on the current rates of disease and used Census data to adjust for anticipated population shifts in age and race. Estimates for hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke were calculated with data from the 1999 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The main data source for projections of direct CVD medical costs was the 2001 to 2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.  Indirect costs were projected from productivity losses including days missed from home or work tasks because of illness and potential lost earnings due to premature death.

The findings show more than one in three Americans today (36.9%) have some form of heart disease. By 2030, the panel projects that percentage to rise to 40.5%.  The largest increases are anticipated in stroke and heart failure, each increasing by 25 percent.

Between 2010-30, the cost to the U.S. of medical care for heart disease — in 2008 dollar values — is expected to jump from $273 billion to $818 billion. Heart disease will also cost the nation billions more in lost productivity, increasing from an estimated $172 billion in 2010 to $276 billion in 2030.

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